Chapter 25: Behemoth I

Malakai saw eyes staring back at him from the darkness ahead, their piercing gaze fixed on him like a predator zeroing in on its prey.

They were glowing with intensity, their pupils vertical slits that seemed to bore into his very soul.

He tried to step back, but his paws felt heavy, as if rooted to the spot.

The eyes were surrounded by darkness, but they seemed to be floating closer, their unblinking stare mesmerizing him.

As he stood there, frozen in terror, the eyes drew closer, their gaze never moving.

He tried to swallow, but his mouth was dry. The eyes moved with an unnatural speed, zigzagging through the darkness with a jerky, unpredictable motion.

Malakai's instincts screamed at him to run, but his body seemed frozen in place.

Suddenly, a mouth materialized out of the darkness, the jaws wide open and revealing rows of razor-sharp fangs.

Malakai's breath caught in his throat as the mouth hurtled towards him, the fangs glinting in the faint light.

He tried to dodge, but his reaction was a fraction too slow.

The jaws snapped shut mere inches from his face, the hot breath washing over him like a wave.

Malakai's ears rang with the sound of his own heartbeat as he stumbled backward, his paws scrambling for traction on the slick stone floor.

He managed to regain his balance just in time to see the eyes and mouth disappear into the darkness, only to reappear a split second later, closer than before.

The creature was toying with him, playing a twisted game of cat and mouse.

Malakai's mind filled with fear and adrenaline as he tried to think of a plan, but his thoughts were a jumbled mess.

All he could do was react, his body moving on instinct as he tried to avoid the creature's deadly attacks.

...

The ground trembled beneath Malakai's paws as the behemoth's footsteps echoed through the hallway, growing louder with each passing moment.

The feminine voice boomed again, "Scram, you vile worm!" The creature's response was immediate, its slithering sound fading into the distance as it retreated from the approaching giant.

As the light from the fire illuminated the area, Malakai's eyes widened in awe.

Before him stood an enormous elephant, its white fur glistening in the flames' warm glow.

The elephant's trunk hung gracefully from its face, its tusks sharp and shiney. Its eyes shone with a deep wisdom, as if it wore glasses perched on the end of its trunk.

The elephant's gaze fell upon Malakai, and it spoke in a low, rumbling voice, "Wow, to think his descendants are still alive." The voice was filled with a mix of wonder and nostalgia. "Follow me, pup," the elephant commanded, turning its massive body and beginning to walk away.

Malakai's shock and awe kept him rooted to the spot for a moment, but the elephant's words snapped him back to reality.

He scrambled to follow, his paws pattering against the stone floor as he struggled to keep up with the elephant's long strides.

As he walked, Malakai's gaze darted around, taking in the enormity of his surroundings.

The halls were gigantic, the torches and torch holders towering above him like skyscrapers.

Everything seemed designed for a race of giants, and Malakai felt tiny and insignificant in comparison.

The elephant led him through the winding halls, its massive body effortlessly navigating the turns and corners.

Malakai struggled to keep up, his breath coming in short gasps as he tried to match the elephant's pace.

Despite his exhaustion, he couldn't help but feel a sense of wonder and excitement.

He had never seen anything like this before, and he couldn't wait to see what other secrets the ancient structure held.

The large door loomed before them, its golden surface glowing in the light.

The elephant pushed through the door with ease, its massive body disappearing into the room beyond.

Malakai followed closely behind, his ears ringing from the sound of the door opening.

Malakai's eyes widened as he entered the room. It was filled with statues of various animals, like hares, wolves, and bears. Their eyes seemed to watch him as he moved.

The room had tall bookcases packed with old leather-bound books.

Malakai's gaze was drawn back to the elephant, which was now shrinking in size. Its massive body condensed, its height decreasing until it stood at around 10 feet tall.

The elephant's eyes never left Malakai's as it approached him, its trunk twitching with each step.

Malakai's heart raced as the elephant drew closer, its scent washing over him.

The elephant's voice was low and rumbling, its words sending shivers down Malakai's spine. "Mmmh, your scent reeks of more than one. That means Arctic wolves have not dwindled to one."

Malakai's voice was shaky as he asked, "Who are you?" The elephant's eyes seemed to bore into his soul.

The elephant's response was slow and deliberate, its voice filled with ancient wisdom. "I am the guardian of this place, the keeper of secrets and knowledge. And you, Malakai, are a descendant of a long-forgotten line, one that holds the key to unlocking the secrets of this ancient structure."

The elephant's gaze lingered on the statues, its eyes filled with a deep nostalgia. "You see, Malakai, your ancestors, along with others, wanted to give their descendants a chance at strength and freedom. They combined their efforts to form a treasure that can grant you an undisputed absorption rate."

As the elephant spoke, its hand shook, and a large box materialized before Malakai.

The box was adorned with intricate carvings, depicting scenes of wolves, bears, and other creatures.

The elephant's trunk opened the box, revealing a glowing elixir within.

"This will help you, Malakai. I can see that many of their descendants exist, but I don't want to wait long. So, I combined all their cores to form this elixir, which can change your absorption rate and purify it. It's not like they'll find out, so do you accept?"

Malakai's skepticism was evident, his ears folding back in doubt. "But you were surprised by my existence. How can you know of others?" he asked, his tail twitching with uncertainty.

The elephant's feminine laughter sounded, filling the room with a warm, gentle tone. "Of course, Arctic wolves are special. I cannot fully sense them," she said, her eyes gleaming with a knowing light.

Malakai's pride swelled, his chest puffing out with a sense of importance.

He nodded, his ears perking up with excitement. "I accept," he said, his voice firm.

The elephant nodded, its trunk opening the box further.

A bowl dropped from the box, filled with a golden liquid that seemed to shimmer in the light.

Malakai's eyes were drawn to it, his tongue licking his lips in anticipation.

As he drank the elixir, his white fur began shimmering gold, his body starting to hurt.

His teeth broke, then grew again, his fur falling down and regrowing in a cycle of transformation.

The pain was intense, but Malakai embraced it, knowing that he was becoming something stronger, something greater.

Once the transformation was finished, Malakai looked the same, with no visible change.

The elephant's voice was filled with a knowing wisdom, "Outside, your body is still the same, but inside, your body now has potential, stronger than most dragons."

Malakai's ears rose up, trying to sense any difference, but he didn't feel any stronger.

He looked at the elephant, his eyes filled with curiosity, "Do you know why we were trapped in this land?"

The elephant's expression turned somber, its voice filled with a deep sadness, "For experiments, the humans practiced experiments on our ancestors, until we unknowingly got the curse called the feral mark." Malakai's ears folded back, confusion etched on his face, "Humans?"

The elephant's voice turned cold, its tone monotone, "Very treacherous and vile beings. You see them, rip their face off, with no questions asked." Malakai's tail twitched, a shiver running down his spine. He nodded, his mind racing with the implications.

Malakai's voice broke the silence, "Now, what?" the elephant's eyes locked onto Malakai, her voice firm, "Now, you leave." The elephant nodded, its eyes gleaming with a knowing light.

Malakai's vision went dark, and he disappeared, leaving the elephant alone in the room.

The elephant's voice was barely audible, a soft mutter, "Special, my ass." The room fell silent, the only sound the soft hum of the ancient structure, waiting for the next descendant to awaken.